The critical state of the world: how to achieve peace (II)

Contrary to these man-made laws, the teachings of Islam emphasise justice to such an extent that Chapter 5, verse 9 of the Holy Quran states that the enmity of any nation or people should never incite one to deviate from the path of justice and equity. Manifesting such integrity is closer to righteousness. Even non-religious people will surely recognise the wisdom and benefit of adopting this pre-eminent standard of justice.  

At the same time, it is worth asking why, if the teachings of Islam are as I am describing, Islam is often alleged to be an extremist religion. Indeed, this debate has resurfaced again in recent days due to inflammatory and misguided comments by certain politicians. In this regard, it must be categorically clear that the wars and battles fought by the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and his Rightly Guided Successors were entirely defensive. The Holy Quran permitted Muslims to defend themselves only as a last resort after they had been mercilessly attacked by opponents of Islam and had been the victims of years of sustained persecution. This permission is contained in Chapter 22, verse 40 of the Holy Quran, which states that those on whom war is unjustly imposed have the right to defend themselves because they have been wronged and are victims of oppression and persecution. 

Furthermore, The Holy Quran makes it clear that the permission to fight back was granted not only for the defence of Islam, but for the defence of all religions and the principles of freedom of conscience and freedom of belief. Thus, in the next verse, God Most High states that if those who transgress were not stopped, through others, then churches, synagogues, temples, mosques and all other places of worship where God's name is frequently recited would be destroyed. Therefore, Muslims are commanded to defend and protect all religions and places of worship rather than cause them any harm. 

Moreover, wherever the conditions for defensive wars were met, Muslim armies were governed by strict rules of fighting given by the Holy Prophet of Islam (sa). Firstly, he stated that wars should never be fought to satisfy personal or vested interests, or to conquer land or establish supremacy over others. Rather, Muslims are only allowed to fight only if war is imposed on them. In the event of war, other nations must unite to stop the aggressor. Once the aggressor stops using force, the other nations must immediately end the war and try to establish a lasting peace. Furthermore, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (lpbD) strictly forbade the targeting of civilians, which is very common in wars fought in the modern world. Furthermore, he prescribed that Muslims should ensure that the scope of war should be as limited as possible. Any escalation or expansion of the war was to be avoided, both in terms of territory and means. 

Islam also teaches that unless the opponent uses a place of worship as a military base, it is not permitted to violate the sanctity of a place of worship by fighting inside or even in its vicinity. It is strictly forbidden to demolish or desecrate the opponents' places of worship. Furthermore, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (lpbD) forbade the previously common practice of mutilating the bodies of enemy soldiers and instructed that their bodies be treated with care and respect. He also taught that no form of deception was permitted in warfare. As noted above, women, children, the elderly and other innocent civilians were never to be attacked. Similarly, priests, rabbis or other religious leaders were not to be harmed or prevented from carrying out their religious duties. 

The Holy Prophet of Islam (sa) also forbade Muslim soldiers from instilling any kind of terror or fear among the general public during wars. In fact, all non-combatants and civilians were to be treated with kindness and no injustice was to be perpetrated against them. Furthermore, he ordered that Muslim armies should not establish bases or camps in cities or areas where they might cause anxiety or discomfort to ordinary civilians. He stated that, during battle, soldiers should not strike their opponents in the face and should cause them as little harm and distress as possible. As for captured prisoners of war, they should not be separated from their families if they too were imprisoned. Furthermore, every effort was to be made to make the POWs comfortable to such an extent that their comfort and needs were given preference over those of the captor. If a Muslim inflicted any kind of cruelty or severity on a prisoner of war, he was to release him immediately to compensate for the harm done. 

Another instruction of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (lpbD) was that representatives or emissaries of other nations should be treated with respect, and any error or discourtesy on their part should be ignored for the sake of peace and harmony.  

These are the basic Islamic rules of warfare. The Holy Prophet (sa) said that if a Muslim violated these principles, he showed that he was not fighting for justice; rather he was fighting to inflict cruelty for self-interest. Surely, every Muslim nation and government must respect these Islamic teachings.  

Religion aside, I also believe that if non-Muslim nations were to adopt these principles, even in the event of war, it would prevent the formation of such deep-seated enmities that endure, generation after generation. Therefore, all nations involved in war, whether Western nations, those harbouring enmity towards the Islamic world or Muslim countries, must recognise that peace can only be established if they act in accordance with these principles of war and conflict resolution. Otherwise, we will be on the brink of a catastrophic global world war that will undoubtedly lead to immense levels of unimaginable destruction and death. 

As I mentioned earlier, many people are now coming to the same conclusion. For example, Professor Jeffrey Sachs, a highly respected economist at Columbia University, writes: 

"The world is on the brink of nuclear catastrophe, in large part because Western political leaders have not been forthright about the causes of the escalating global crisis." 

He continues: 

"The relentless Western narrative that the West is noble, while Russia and China are evil, is naïve and extraordinarily dangerous. It is an attempt to manipulate public opinion away from a very real and pressing diplomacy". 

Professor Sachs continues: 

"Above all, at this time of extreme danger, European leaders should be looking for the real source of security for Europe, not US hedge money, but European security arrangements that respect the legitimate security interests of all European nations. Certainly including Ukraine, but also Russia, which continues to resist NATO's Black Sea enlargements. At this stage, diplomacy, not military escalation, is the true path to European and global security". 

In addition, much has been written or spoken about the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas and the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, which is worsening by the day. For example, during a recent interview, US Senator Bernie Sanders, who is Jewish, strongly condemned the actions of the Israeli government. He said: 

"What Netanyahu and his right-wing government are doing right now to the people of Palestine, of Gaza, is unspeakable and unconscionable. I mean, we are seeing that already 25-26,000 people have been killed (this was the figure when he was interviewed, now this figure has exceeded this number), two-thirds of whom are women and children. 65,000 people have been injured. We are seeing that 70% of Gaza's homes have been damaged or destroyed. We are seeing that 1.8 million people have been driven from their homes. God knows where they are going". 

Senator Sanders went on to say: 

"Right now, and I hope everyone hears this, we are looking at the possibility of hundreds of thousands of children starving to death, and we in the United States, through our financial support for Israel, are complicit in what is happening, and I'll be damned if I give another dime to the Netanyahu government to continue this war against the Palestinian people." 

Asked if and how a Middle East settlement could be reached, Senator Sanders said: 

"The history of the region is terrible. It's about the holocaust of six million Jews, it's about the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homes, but at the end of the day, the Palestinian people have a right to a homeland of their own. So we are talking about a two-state solution". 

In addition to the two people I have quoted, many other commentators are now coming to the same conclusion about the critical state of the world, which I have long warned about. I am not satisfied with this; rather, I hope and pray with all my heart that, before it is too late, the world will come to its senses and put an end to the brutalities and wars that are taking place in the world.  

Certainly, in my opinion, there should be a total ceasefire between Israel and Hamas or Palestine, and also in the war between Russia and Ukraine. Therefore, instead of inciting their respective allies to continue the war, all members of the international community should first ensure that aid efforts are stepped up to help those in desperate need and focus on achieving a peaceful and lasting settlement. If, instead, we stand by and allow these wars to escalate further, countless innocent lives will be lost and history will surely judge us with contempt as the perpetrators of our own destruction and misery. 

In conclusion, if we wish to prevent our future generations from being born with the harmful effects of radiation caused by nuclear war, and if we wish to save them from deprivation and despair, and if we wish to save ourselves from their curses and regrets, we must act with urgency and wisdom. Political leaders and those who have access to policy-makers must take a long-term view of what is best for humanity rather than being blinded by a selfish desire to assert superiority over others. We must all come together, putting aside national, political and other vested interests, for the good of humanity and to ensure that we leave a prosperous world for our future generations. It is necessary in these times that we focus all our energies and efforts on establishing true peace so that we can live in a world of hope and prosperity rather than a world defined by inequality, hatred and bloodshed. 

With these words, I sincerely thank all our guests for joining us tonight and listening to what I had to say. I apologise for my long speech, but I felt it was necessary given the precarious state of the world. Thank you and once again I express my sincere thanks to all of you. 

Thank you very much.' 

(lpbD) - God's peace and blessings be upon him. 

(lpd) - peace be upon him.